No doubt - Avro Vulcan - okay, it had a smaller bomb load, but apart from that it could do all the things a B52 could, and was far more manouverable. I wonder how it would developed, had Skybolt not been cancelled? Maybe a vastly upgraded version would still have been in service today?

Very true 8) I was just thinking in terms of actual action they'd seen, the B52 was a nuclear bomber by design, but it managed to carve itself a new niche with the Arc Light raids in Vietnam. It would have been interesting to see how the Vulcan survived such a drastic change in its mission profile.

It's the fact the the US Government deny that it ever happened!
Soviets: Did you do any spying missions with those B-36's of yours?
US (Even though they probably did):No, of Couse not!
Soviets: Then where did this spy material of yours originate from? Eh?
US: How did you know it was spy material?
Soviets: Our Spies... D'OH!